Get Out the Vote

5 years ago

Putin’s Chechnya Turnout: 107 Percent

Musa Sadulayev / AP Photo

Allegations of fraud abound in Russia’s recent election, but Chechnya is perhaps the most brazen case. Chechnya, the region that Vladimir Putin practically declared war on in 1999, voted for him by an astonishing number—by more votes, in fact, than there are people on the rolls. In one precinct Putin got 1,482 votes, while his communist opposition got one. There are only 1,389 people registered to vote there, giving the precinct a turnout of 107 percent. Russian forces detained hundreds of protesters during demonstrations yesterday. More than 20,000 people came out to call for Putin's ouster.